Finland conjures an image of exotic Nordic locales, thousand lakes and the northern lights – Aurora borealis. Essentially it is an outdoor country providing ample opportunities for adventure activities and sports. It is also a smart destination for education where many international students make a beeline in a number of universities spread across the country.
Top-ranked universities in Finland:
Set among stunning natural beauty universities in Finland are known for their strong focus on innovation and research. As compared to other universities in Europe, Finnish universities are fairly young, yet are top class in quality. Let us check out the top 10.
- University of Helsinki: It is the oldest university in Finland located in the capital city. Founded in 1640, it is currently ranked 102 in the world. The current enrollment of students is 32K pursuing degrees in 11 faculties in Finnish, Swedish and English.
- Alto University: Carved out of a few institutions from the University of Helsinki, it was founded in 2010 by merging them. It is ranked 137th in the world and has enrolment of 12K students now.
- University of Turku: Located in the south-west in Turku, it is the second largest university in Finland. It was established in 1920 with an emphasis on international collaboration. Its global rank is 276.
- University of Jyvaskyla: Established in 1934, it is ranked 357 in the world. The student strength is 15K in six faculties.
- University of Eastern Finland: The 451+ ranked University in the world was established in 2010 by merging two major universities. Student enrolment of 15K is spread across four faculties. It boasts of an extensive network of foreign partners.
- Tampere University of Technology (TUT): The University combines research related to natural sciences and engineering with the industry and business. It has a current enrolment of about 10.5K students and is ranked globally at 380. .
- Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT): It is a science university founded in 1969. It has a strong focus on science and business which draws a good number of international students.
- University of Oulu: It is an international science university with ten faculties. It is home to 16K students currently. It is one of the most famous multidisciplinary universities in Finland.
- Abo Akademi University: It is a globally acknowledged university with a strong focus on research. It provides education in Swedish in multidisciplinary faculties in four centers of excellence.
- University of Tampere: Globally this university is ranked 551+. The University boasts of advanced teaching and diverse research, spread over different faculties.
Application for Admission:
The admission process for study in Finland is usually controlled by University Admissions Finland (UAF) or you can directly apply to the university. It is an online process usually conducted during the period August – September for next spring session or November- January for session commencing next fall. Apart from academic credentials, you may need to clear an entrance test.
Fees and funding of Study:
In the past university education in Finland was free of cost. Subsequently the Finnish government introduced fees for non-EU/EEA/Swiss students in both the Undergraduate and Post Graduate levels depending on the course of study.
- Minimum: €1.5K PA (US$1.8K)
- Maximum: €20K (US$24.5K)
Student Visa:
The provision for a student visa in Finland is dependent on the country of origin:
- EU/Nordic countries/Switzerland/Liechtenstein: Visa is not required
- Outside EU/Nordic countries/Switzerland/Liechtenstein: Visa has to be obtained from the Finnish embassy in the country of origin,
Life in Finland:
Finland is a wealthy country with a high quality of life. Seasonal variations are extreme as it is located in the far north Europe. Activities are varied and seasonal. Finnish and Swedish are the two national languages in Finland. It is advisable to learn Finnish for ease of communications.
Bottom Line:
Universities in Finland are located in some of the major cities of the country like Helsinki, Turku, Oulu and Tampere. A highly digitized society, Finland offers a life of extremely high quality. International students flock to the country because of quality education imparted by their universities and study in Finland is highly rewarding. .
To know more about study in Finland at https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/finland
